“HEARING THE CALL”
TO ADDRESS RACISM IN KNOXVILLE
by
Ali Pensky
As the nation hones in on the United States Capitol riot hearings and the ongoing and increasing threat of the Delta variant, the city of Knoxville is having its own crisis.
On the night of July 27th, a small group of protesters marched to Knoxville’s City Council Building. Walking down the middle of Gay Street, young protesters could be seen with Black Lives Matter flags and heard chanting “Anthony Thompson Junior.” This protest comes four months after Anthony was killed by a police officer in the Austin East high schools’ bathroom.
Constance Every, local advocate and Chairwoman of Knoxville’s Sleeves4Needs nonprofit, posted to social media earlier that morning that she will “never” forget what happened to Anthony. Additionally, last night’s protest comes just days after Tyler Whetstone of the Knoxville News Sentinel broke a series of stories about a “deep-seated problem at the Knoxville Police Department.”
The problem is racism. The Knoxville News Sentinel interviewed six KPD officers about their experiences at the department with racism, exposing that racist behavior in the department is not just common – it’s also covered up.
Amelia Parker, a Councilperson, created her own bill in an effort to enforce a zero tolerance policy for racism within the city’s government. On the night of July 27th at the City Council Building, her bill was voted on. Instead of the zero tolerance bill, however, a substitute bill was passed. Speaking with the group of protesters after the meeting, Councilwoman Parker says:
“Tonight was frustrating… the substitute motion was sent to me by email about an hour before the City Council Meeting… I knew this was an attempt to circumvent my efforts, but that’s okay. At least we had a conversation. It’s rough being a minority voice in a space.”
Though the language in the substitute bill was similar to the original, it lacked the “zero tolerance” component. Also on the night of the 27th, a task force was named with the goal of creating economic equality for Black people in Knoxville. The task force is called the “African American Equity Restoration Task Force.” The poverty rate among Black people in Knoxville is roughly 40%. Outside of the City Council building, protesters expressed their anger over the fact that a task force created to support Black residents is comprised of mostly white residents.
Reverend Calvin Taylor Skinner was among the protesters on Tuesday. Skinner ran for mayor in 2019, though he lost to current Mayor Indya Kincannon. Skinner, along with Every and five others, was arrested at the City Council Building months earlier and charged with disrupting the meeting. Reverend Skinner uses his faith to support, uplift and change the city of Knoxville.
Towards the end of the night, Reverend Skinner took the bull horn and made compelling remarks about Knoxville’s current state of emergency, and Knoxville’s potential. Keep in mind that last week the 27th deadly shooting of 2021 occurred within city limits.
Skinner yelled, “I hope this spreads all around the world. Ya’ll have to know what’s happening in Knoxville. They are erasing a whole people. While we stand here now, a whole people is being put out and erased. Enough is enough.” He ended by saying, “Knoxville can be the model city. The nation is looking for a model community that will stand firm for justice— that will stand firm for revolution, that will stand firm for healing. Can you hear the call?”
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The primaries are nearing. August 11th is the first day of Knoxville’s early voting period, August 24th is the final day to request an absentee ballot, August 26th is the final day of the early voting period, and August 31st is Election Day.
Ali Pensky is a resident of Knoxville, and a sophomore in College at Appalachian State University.
